Tulsi Gabbard, a former U.S. Congresswoman and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate has officially joined Donald Trump’s campaign for the upcoming U.S. presidential election. The announcement was made on August 26, just a few months before the election, during an event in Detroit.
Gabbard, who previously served as the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, was warmly received by Trump, who praised her achievements and welcomed her to his campaign stage. “Today, I’m honoured to officially welcome another true American patriot, a 17-year veteran of the Hawaii Army National Guard, a four-term Democrat congresswoman, very, very popular,” Trump said while addressing the National Guard Association Conference in Detroit. “You know, she was a very good candidate. Every time she ran, she was good. She did well. She decided to leave; she couldn’t take it anymore. But she’s very special,” he added.
Who is Tulsi Gabbard?
Tulsi Gabbard, 43, was born on April 12, 1981, in Leloaloa, Maʻopūtasi County, on the main island of American Samoa, Tutuila. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Hawaii Pacific University and is known for being a practising Hindu.
Gabbard has a notable military background. She enlisted in the Hawaii Army National Guard in 2003 and was deployed to Iraq from 2004 to 2005. She left the National Guard in 2017 as a Major and later joined the United States Army Reserve (USAR), where she rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Her political career began at an early age when she was elected to the Hawaii House of Representatives at just 21, making her one of the youngest legislators in Hawaiian history. She subsequently served on the Honolulu City Council before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012.
Throughout her career, Gabbard has been a vocal critic of what she terms “forever wars” and has consistently advocated for a foreign policy that emphasizes restraint. Once seen as a rising star within the Democratic Party, Gabbard ran for the Democratic nomination for president in the 2020 election. However, she announced her departure from the Democratic Party in October 2022.
Earlier this year, Gabbard was reportedly on a shortlist of candidates considered by Trump for the vice-presidential nomination. However, the position ultimately went to JD Vance.
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Gabbard’s Endorsement of Trump
On the same day as her endorsement, August 26, Gabbard joined Trump at Arlington Cemetery to commemorate the three-year anniversary of a suicide attack at Kabul’s international airport, which killed 13 American service members during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Speaking at the National Guard Association Conference, Gabbard reflected on her experience: “I had the privilege of joining President Trump this morning at Arlington Cemetery, where he joined two Gold Star families and loved ones of Staff Sergeant Hoover and Sergeant Gee, both of whom were two of the 13 killed in the Abbey Gate attack three years ago today in Kabul.”
Gabbard further expressed her support for Trump, stating, “I am proud to stand here before you today, whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican or an Independent if you love our country, as I do if you cherish peace and freedom as we do, I invite you to join me in doing all that we can to save our country and elect President Donald J. Trump and send him back to the White House to do the tough work of saving our country and serving the people.”
Gabbard’s unexpected move to join Trump’s campaign has generated significant attention, highlighting her unique political journey and the ongoing shifts within the U.S. political landscape.